The present invention relates to an analytic test sheet feeder for removing and supplying small strip or rod-like test sheets one by one, which feeder is suitable for extracting test sheets one by one with high reliability.
In clinical examinations in hospitals, analytic test sheets are often used for easily examining a plurality of analytic items in urine samples and blood samples. A test sheet has an elongated strip made of a plastic material or the like on which a plurality of testing pieces impregnated with reagents are adhered.
A known automatic test-sheet analyzer in which handling of such analytic test sheets is automated is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-91571. This conventional-technique has a structure in which an arm having a test sheet holder is moved between a test sheet feeding mechanism, a sample table on which sample containers to immerse test sheets are placed, and a photometric mechanism, with colored test sheets being subjected to photometry. The test sheet feeding mechanism supplies test sheets one by one to a starting position of the test-sheet delivery by the arm.
In the foregoing test sheet feeding mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 61-91571, an elongated test sheet is supplied by sliding the bottom of a hopper. Consequently, when a curved test sheet is drawn out, other test sheets are apt to be caught between the wall and the bottom of the hopper, which results in a problem that smooth operation is hindered.